Anavia Battle delivered a stunning performance at the Rome Diamond League, dominating a competitive women’s 200m field to claim her third career Diamond League victory and strengthen her position as a serious contender ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The American sprinter clocked 22.53 seconds, a commanding display of late-race power and precision that saw her pull away convincingly from the field.
Heading into the race as the athlete with the fastest personal best of 21.95, Battle was under pressure to live up to expectations. She did not disappoint. After a composed start, she surged on the home straight, powering away in the final 50 meters to improve her season’s best from 22.38 to 22.53. It was yet another reminder of her growing consistency in championship-level competition.
Britain’s Amy Hunt, running from the outside lane 8, ran a solid race to take second place in 22.67, her best performance of the season. The 22-year-old managed to stay composed through the turn and finished strong, edging out more seasoned competitors.
Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith of Côte d’Ivoire, a familiar name on the Diamond League circuit, finished third in 22.75 seconds. Competing in only her second 200m race of the season, Ta Lou-Smith showed glimpses of her peak form. She looked particularly strong around the bend but lacked the closing speed to keep up with Battle in the home stretch. With a personal best of 22.08, the experienced sprinter will look to build on this performance as the Olympic Games draw nearer.
McKenzie Long, another American sprinter, took fourth place in 22.81 seconds, just ahead of Liberia’s Maia McCoy who crossed the line in 22.91. Both athletes ran solid races but were unable to mount a serious challenge to the leading trio.
Italy’s Dalia Kaddari and Spain’s Paula Sevilla finished sixth and seventh respectively, both registering times of 23.12 seconds. For Sevilla, the result matched her season’s best, while Kaddari continues to show promise in front of a home crowd.
The win was a loud statement from Anavia Battle. With Olympic qualification looming and rivals like Gabby Thomas watching closely, her commanding performance in Rome served as a reminder of her growing stature in the sport.
In the men’s 400m, Olympic champion Quincy Hall added another impressive win to his resume with a dramatic finish to take the title in 44.42 seconds. Hall had to dig deep, holding off a late charge from South Africa’s Zakizi Nene. The race ended in a thrilling photo finish, with Hall diving at the line to edge Nene by a mere hundredth of a second. Nene was credited with 44.43 seconds for second place.
Third place went to Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, who ran 44.51 seconds, only slightly behind the leading duo. Britain’s Charles Dobson followed in fourth with 44.64 seconds, while Vernon Norwood of the United States clocked 44.86 to finish fifth. Former Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada, once the dominant force in the 400m, settled for sixth in 44.92 seconds.
Hall’s victory, though narrow, reaffirmed his competitive grit and readiness to defend his Olympic crown. The tight margins on display in Rome suggest that the road to Paris will be fiercely contested in the men’s quarter-mile, with a new generation of sprinters rising to challenge the established elite.
